DAYTON–Bulldog baseball is back with a vengeance.
The Dawgs are 4-0 after the first week of action on the diamond following sweeps of the White Swan Cougars in the opening twin bill March 12 last week, then shutting out the Waitsburg Cardinals in last Saturday's opener and finishing with an eight-run win in the nightcap.
The Bulldogs played Touchet last Tuesday and host a double header with Colton Saturday, then visit Colton for a single game on March 26. Spring Vacation week will wrap with a Saturday double bill at Gar-Pal April 6.
The Dawgs shut out Waitsburg 14-0 in a "home" game played on Waitsburg's diamond last Saturday while the turf on Dayton's fields firm up after extensive reworking of the field was performed by volunteers last fall.
Freshman hurler Jordan McCowen pitched four innings of shut-out ball and Colton Steinhoff relieved in the fifth to slam the door on the Cards in the opener.
Will Durham pitched through the fourth inning with the Cards leading 2-1 when Bulldog bats rallied with four runs in the fifth, six in the sixth and three in the seventh for the 14-6 win in the second game. Durham smacked a homer in the game. Denver Hutchens relieved and the defense held Waitsburg to four runs.
At White Swan, the Bulldogs got their first look at a baseball diamond, having held no practices on the Dayton field while the turf is getting established. They jumped to a 6-3 lead after two innings and ten-runned the Cougars with eight more runs in the top of the fifth for the 14-4 win.
In the nightcap, the Dawgs four runs in each of the first two innings then held off a Cougar rally for the 10-7. Hutchens started on the mound and was relieved by Steinhoff in the fifth inning.
Game 1
Dayton 14, Waitsburg 0 (3/16)
R H E
D 930 02-14 6 2
W 000 00-0 1 1
Battery: Dayton-McCowen, Steinhoff (5) and Walter. Waitsburg-Reyes, Hankins (2) and Benavides.
Hits: Dayton-Hutchens 2, Steinhoff, McCowen, Walter, Czapka.
Game 2
Dayton 14, Waitsburg 6 (3/16)
R H E
D 000 146 3-14 14 0
W 002 020 2-6 6 2
Battery: Dayton-Durham, Hutchens (5) and Walter.
Hits: Dayton-Hutchens 3, Steinhoff 3, McCowen 3, Durham 2, Czapka, Cranmer, Wertz.
Home Runs: Dayton-Durham.
Game 1
Dayton 14, White Swan 4 (3/12)
R H E
D 240 08-14 9 -
WS 301 00-4 3 -
Battery: Dayton-Durham, McCowen (3) and Walter.
Hits: Dayton-Hutchens, Steinhoff, McCowen 2, Durham 3, Cranmer, Walter 2, Czapka 2. White Swan-Dittenholer, Lutton, Bill.
Game 2
Dayton 10, White Swan 7 (3/12)
R H E
D 440 200 --10 9 -
WS 020 041 --7 5 -
Battery: Dayton-Hutchens, Steinhoff (5) and Cranmer.
Hits: Dayton-Hutchens, Steinhoff, McCowen 2, Durham 2, Cranmer, Walter, Yutzy. White Swan-Waddington 2, Gavin, Jaramillo, Lutton.